


Christmas Traditions (Old and New)

by Saffooooooo



Category: Call Down the Hawk--Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, original child character - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-26
Updated: 2019-12-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:02:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21977026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saffooooooo/pseuds/Saffooooooo
Summary: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at Declan's townhouse.
Relationships: Jordan/Declan Lynch
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Christmas Traditions (Old and New)

People had particular traditions they followed on Christmas Eve. Some opened their presents early, some invited all their family over and had a big meal. Some went to the cinema to watch whatever their kids wanted, or had a ritual smoke-and-drink-all-you-can night, like Hennessey and her family. 

Declan's ritual was to patiently watch and wait as his brother slept to make sure nothing potentially dangerous manifested from his dreams. 

Over the years everything had changed.

His home was far more welcoming than the plain townhouse he'd inherited and his attic wasn't the only place he was allowed to be human in. There was a room specifically for the creation of original paintings, a room specifically for Declan's obscure politician work. 

There was also a room painted a duck-egg blue with a twin bed and yellow curtains. Declan was sitting on a bean bag in this room, watching the sleeping figure intently. 

This tradition hadn't changed; keeping an eye on those he loved to make sure they didn't manifest anything potentially dangerous from their dreams. 

"Shouldn't you be arranging secret meetings with hardened criminals about now, Dec?" Jordan asked from the doorway. 

"Shouldn't you be painting on this glorious night?" He quipped, smirking a little to make sure she knew he was joking.

"Violet is going to be fine. You know that." She responded, coming over to drop into his lap. 

Declan asked quiet permission before wrapping his arms around Jordan's middle. "I guess it's just a thing I do. I need to make sure she won't bring anything back that would hurt her or us." 

"It's 2am Dec. Go to sleep."

"Yeah, I'm going to. See, I have my duvet and my pillow."

Jordan huffed and got to her feet. She turned a fierce mock-glare on him. "No, like in your bedroom. You'll be a zombie tomorrow otherwise."

Violet let out a little sound and thrashed around in her nest of blankets and pillows. Immediately Declan was at her side, blowing gently on her eyelashes until she woke up. 

His daughter blinked up at him sleepily. "Is't Christmas already?" She mumbled. 

"No, not yet. We still have a little while to go." Jordan whispered to her. "You wanna drink some water? You sounded like you were having a rough time of it."

Violet nodded. "Hmhm. I dreamed those Christmas-song people were at our door, an' when I went to open it they were actually walking skeleton plants that bobbed up and down and tried to eat my hair."

"Oh, those would be creepy." Declan mused. "But I don't think they could eat your hair. See, it smells like flowers and honey; those plants wouldn't be able to stand the smell of someone so alive if they're skeletons."

Violet's eyes lost all trace of fear. "You're right, Da! And if the perfume is always there, they can't get me!" 

Declan gave Violet that particular, illuminated smile that he never showed in public. "That's right, bunny. Do you think you'd be okay to sleep now?" 

She nodded and lay back down. "Tuck me in?" She requested, and Declan did.

He and Jordan sat and waited for a half hour, watching Violet's chest rise and fall in sleep. Every time her eyebrows would furrow Declan would tense up, and Jordan would slip her had into his. 

"Come on." Jordan whispered after a while, and tugged Declan to his feet. They let themselves out into the hallway, and looked back only for a second before making their way to their respective rooms. 

*

Jordan took hold of her daughter's hand as they crept down the hallway. It was Christmas day, and everything was cold and quiet. Violet had woken up bright and early, eyes alight and her brown cloud of hair all mussed. 

"Momma!" She had shouted in her best indoor voice. "I have a present for you!" 

Violet had jumped up onto Jordan's bed and brought her cupped hands towards her Momma's face. 

"Smell it!" Violet had urged, and Jordan didn't understand until a whiff of honey and lavender and freshly cut grass hit her nose. 

"That's beautiful!" Jordan had sighed, still half asleep but very much in awe. "Reminds me of something…." 

"Yeah! That thing Da said about the smell of life! It worked!" Violet then had said: "I brought it back because I liked it. Is that okay?" 

Jordan had nodded and heaved herself upright, the duvet sliding to the floor. "You want to go surprise Da? What did you get him?" 

That was why a few minutes later they were standing outside Declan's door, Violet trying to stifle her giggles. 

"Shh, Momma!" She laughed. "You'll wake him up too early!" 

"I bet he's already awake." Jordan teased. "Okay, on three. One, Two…Three!" 

Both girls took hold of the handle and pushed the door open in one fell swoop, piling onto Declan's bed. 

"He's not here!" Violet shrieked, thumping the peaks of the piled blankets with the backs of her palms. 

Jordan looked around the room, her gaze settling on the fitted wardrobe. She gestured to it and ushered Violet to one side of the sliding door as she took the other. 

"Da'll get bored in a while, and then we can catch him!" 

Jordan had to compliment Declan's resolve; ten minutes they waited either side of the wardrobe, and it was only until Violet had shaken her back awake that she realised the wardrobe was empty and they could hear Declan downstairs. 

Violet looked troubled. "He tricked us!" She pouted as she slid down the banister of the stairs, aided by Jordan. 

"If it wasn't so early we wouldn't have fallen asleep and let him escape!" 

They found Declan in the kitchen, arranging the table just so. He had made pancakes and poured the variety of syrups into gravy boats, a needlessly sweet touch. 

"Happy Christmas!" He said gently when he saw them. "I don't usually do sweet breakfasts, but it's a special occasion, so I thought I would!" 

"Merry Christmas, Da!" Violet shouted back, and vaulted into his arms. "I have something for you!" 

"Oh?" Declan murmured, nosing at Violet's curls. "Is it a kiss?" 

"No!" She squirmed out of her Da's arms and scampered to the table. "It's this!" 

Violet reached into the pocket of her pajamas and took out a handful of turquoise leaves, which she placed next to the chocolate chips. 

The pile of leaves were soft to the touch and glowing gently, but it was obvious they were meant to do something more, by the disappointed look on Violet's face. 

"They–They–" She stamped her foot. "It was supposed to be…" 

The leaves were levitating. They floated in the air and swirled around each other, fitting together like a 3D jigsaw. Between one blink and the next it was a furry green kitten, dipping it's tongue into the chocolate.

"Yes! It did what it was supposed to!"

Violet was bouncing on her feet while Declan and Jordan tried to get the syrups out of the way of their newly acquired pet.


End file.
